Lawyers hope to resolve charges against accused bank robber quickly

By Peggy Revell on June 21, 2018.

prevell@medicinehatnews.com @MHNprevell

Bail has been cancelled for a Winnipeg man accused of two bank robberies in the Hat in the hopes it will get him shipped back here soon from Regina.

Defence counsel for 54-year-old Stephen Vogelsang was granted the request Thursday at the Medicine Hat Courthouse, alongside an adjournment until July 24.

Vogelsang was arrested and charged in Medicine Hat in October after two local banks were robbed. After his arrest, police agencies in Saskatchewan announced charges for two bank robberies in Regina and one in Saskatoon.

While he secured bail in Medicine Hat, he was then transferred to Regina and denied bail on the Saskatchewan charges.

This created “logistical problems,” defence counsel told the court when it came to moving forward and dealing with the Medicine Hat charges.

The local Crown — who had opposed Vogelsang’s release in the first place — had no issue with bail being canceled.

With bail canceled and the next appearance set for late July, defence counsel said that he will begin resolution discussions with the local Crown and Crown in Saskatchewan.

The arrest of Vogelsang on multiple robberies made national news, as the accused is better known for his former job as a news director at CTV Winnipeg, and then becoming a journalism instructor at Red River College in Winnipeg from 2002-2011.

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